Getting around in...Indonesia-Philippines- Japan

Im planning a year trip through China, SE Asia and Japan, I hope to do all the overland stuff by train and bus,

However, Im planning to go from malaysia to Indonesia (via Singapore),Im not sure how to travel after that,

The plan is...Malaysia-Singapore- Indonesia- Phillipines- Japan

- Is it easy/cheap to island hop in Indonesia and in the Philipines?- How can I travel from Indonesia to the Phillipines?- How much do I need to budget for travel between islands etc (for 2 people)?- What is the cheapest way from the Philippines to Japan mainland?

Philippines is a very easy country to get around at. Once you have landed at the airport, there will be guides that offers services to the tourists. you can also book it online. I have visited a lot of cool islands in the country and I just have to say that you wouldn't want to miss El Nido of Palawan. it is a very quite and beautiful place...

To Japan, my guess is air from the Philippines. Within Japan, trains are the way to go. They are expensive. If you can, get a pass before going to Japan as they are cheaper for foreign tourists (but only if you buy them from outside the country). Check the cost, though. They are worth it if you travel around a lot, but not necessarily if you are staying within a region and are not planning any long segments.

It's easy to travel between islands in Indonesia since almost every major islands are connected by domestic flights. Ships/boats are also available to travel to smaller islands. The cost of course depends on the distance between the islands. For example, if you want to travel to Makassar in Sulawesi from Jakarta in Java, you would have to pay around 1 million IDR/person for one way flight.

To go from Indonesia to the Philippines you can fly from Manado in Sulawesi, or from Jakarta.

lucyloo4, I was just wondering, how much are you looking to pay for this trip?

Me and my fiance are looking to follow a similar year long route when I graduate from Uni in 2012, the only difference being we want to try and incorporate India. I want to start saving from now (obv) and I was just wondering, roughly, how much you're paying for the trip, so I have a rough idea of what target I would need to set. Do you have any tips for someone planning this trip or is it pretty much a trial and error situation?Obv things may have changed between now and when I'm planning to go but I figured, early planning never hurt!

but yeah, any tips and help you could provide would be really appreciated!!